The present invention pertains to an improved water ski which enhances the ability of the user to control the ski during maneuvers.
Present technology provides a ski which includes a vertically depending fin at the rear of the ski, and horizontal stabilizers, sometimes referred to as "spoilers", on the fin. Certain specialty skis manufactured by Kidder International, for example, include means for manual adjustment of the horizontal stabilizers through an approximate 10.degree. angle. Conventional wisdom dictates, however, that a skier will not stop in the middle of the race to adjust his horizontal stabilizer, any more than he could expect to reach back to adjust the height of his fin as suggested in Meyer U.S. Pat. No. 3,087,173, or Durfey U.S. Pat. No. 3,066,327. The reality is that a skier, particularly a skier engaged in competition such as slalom racing, has a distinct advantage over the competition if he is able to adjust the depth of his fin and the angle of the horizontal stabilizers while in motion, and without need to contort the body or stray from one's concentration in order to reach for some lever or other device to make the necessary adjustment.
Accordingly, it is an objective of the present invention to provide a novel ski which allows the user to automatically adjust fin height and horizontal stabilizer angle while skiing.
Another, and related objective of the present invention, is to provide a ski which permits the user to quickly and automatically adjust to changing conditions by raising or lowering the ski's fin, without resort to moving parts, while at the same time adjusting the angle of the horizontal stabilizer.